What is Lesson Study?
Lesson Study Basics
Lesson study provides an ongoing method to improve instruction based on careful observation of students and their work. In the lesson study cycle, teachers work together to:
Formulate goals for students learning and long-term development.
Collaboratively plan a 'research lesson' designed to bring life to these goals.
Conduct the research lesson, with one team member teaching and others gathering evidence on student learning and development.
Discuss the evidence gathered during the lesson, using it to improve the lesson, the unit, and teacher practice.
The lesson study cycle provides the opportunity for teachers to:
Think carefully about the goals of a particular lesson, unit, and subject area.
Think deeply about long-term goals for students. What is the gap between who students are now who we hope they will become?
Study and improve the best available lessons.
Deepen their own subject-matter knowledge, by considering questions like: what knowledge and understanding are important?; how is it developed?; what are the gaps in student understanding and knowledge?
Collaboratively plan lessons.
Anticipate student thinking.
Carefully study student learning and behavior.
Build powerful instructional strategies- for example, develop questioning strategies that stimulate student interest and learning.
Visit LessonResearch.Net for more information and resources
Tools for Explaining Lesson Study
Lesson Study Cycle Steps
Gather a team
Identify significant student learning needs
Develop a Student Vision for Success
Develop a Research Question & a Theory of Action
Identify a unit and a lesson within that unit that will help you advance your thinking around your Research Question
Plan the lesson in depth
Plan the data collection that will take place during the lesson
One member of your lesson study team teaches the planned lesson
The other members of the team and additional observers watch the lesson and collect data
Debrief your lesson using the data gathered
Discuss the learning impacts of the lesson and future implications for instruction
Please direct your questions to Jessica Fishman at fishmanj@sfusd.edu